RE: Journalists using drones.
You can fly above someone else's house, it's just not a good idea. If your plane goes down, it's there's.
Noise would be a limiting factor here.
If some kid flies a little foamy into my tree, I will help getting it out.
Now if a camera drone flies around my house, it might catch a bullet and I make sure it falls onto my property.
What is this thread about?
Regulations leave some room for interpretation, but the airspace above your property is not yours. A full scale plane is supposed to stay away from you, that does not mean you own the airspace used for safety.